Elements of Life
by sammniam II
Summary: A Final Fanyasy fic done with new characters, which takes place after the end of the FF 8 game
1. Prologue

Elements of Life ****

Elements of Life

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This fanfic is based on and within the Final Fantasy VIII game by Squaresoft.

Any characters owned by them, are borrowed, all others are property of myself.

The story takes place both during and after the events within the Final Fantasy VIII game.

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Prologue

The pristine blue sky stretched out as far as her eyes could see. In every direction, it lay before her unmarred except where the distant horizon fell into the deeper blue of the sea. Samma Whitestone leans back against the sun-warmed dunes of the beach, watching the waves crash in. 

Closing her eyes, she lifts her arms and settles them beneath her head, digging her bare toes deeper into the warm sand. A soft sigh escapes her as the cool sea breeze ruffles her silver hair and blows the white sand over the navy cloth of her uniform. Off to on side, discarded and half buried by the blown sand, lay her jacket and boots.

Absentmindedly, she reaches up to brush the hair form her face, shifting her position ever so slightly. The large gunblade that was balanced on her lap, slips off it's perch and slides toward the sand. Without opening her eyes, she brushes the arrant hair with one hand and catches the gunblade with the other. Carefully she replaces it within her lap, growing still once more.

She was at peace. Opening her crystal blue eyes, she stares vacantly up into the blue sky. Far above, a small black speck was circling, a sea gull riding the thermals. She strains to watch the bird gliding carelessly on the winds.

"It's beyond blue." She whispers to herself, barely able to make out the words over the roar of the ocean. The faintest ghost of a smile washes across her face. There would be hell to pay, for this little excursion. Truthfully, she didn't care. Summer had come early this year and the day had started out beautiful. The urge to escape the stuffy classrooms of the Garden had too much for her too resist. The smile grows and a quite chuckle leaves her lips.

Relaxing, she lets her mind drift, lulled by the repetitive sound of the waves, into a light doze. Her thoughts drifted aimlessly, flitting here and there. Suddenly a strange one wanders across. She had seen a sky just like this one before. Before, she couldn't place a name on that particular shade of blue, know she could. Whitestone. It was the same odd blue as her eyes, the blue, which somehow managed to be both every shade of blue and colorless at once. The though amused her at the same time it alarmed her. Trying to relax, she feels sleep pulling at her, but somewhere deep within her, a long forgotten memory wakens.

Every so slowly the smile fades and she opens her eyes, all thought of sleep wiped away. She stares straight up, her eyes unfocused and glassy. She wasn't watching the gull far above, but focused on some vision within her own mind. Visions of her childhood, where she had seen that sky and the replay of those horrible events. The events that, though they occurred over a decade before, had proven so disturbing and startling that she had hidden them deep within. Sitting up she stares out over the sea, struggling to regain control of both her emotions and her mind. Suddenly the chaotic mess dies down replaced by a single particular notion. Tomorrow was her birthday.


	2. Birthday Wish

Elements of Life ****

Elements of Life

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Chapter 1

"Birthday Gift"

Whitestone. A simple and unremarkable name, even by most standards. Few people had ever heard of them and smaller still was the number that knew of their hidden importance. The Whitestone clan was only one of several smaller branches that belonged to a larger family tree, one that had spread its root into every nation across the globe.

Throughout history, this great family strove to survive in a constantly hostile world. In order to preserve their existence, they needed to make themselves necessary to the continuing way of life of those surrounding them. The easiest way was to find a service and/or sets of talents that others needed. They proceeded to identify them, learn then, and perfect them. It was by this method alone that they survived and prospered, up to the point that several of the clans were sought out specially for their progeny's talents.

One clan had specialized in producing great military leaders and solider of war, many of which participated in famous battles throughout the ages. Another was desired for their scholars and scientists, who had helped shape the world into what it was today. Yet a third became famous for it's works of art and written word.

The Whitestone clan was different in many aspects. While most of the other clans within the great family chose a single set of talents to focus on, the Whitestone wished to remain adaptable. They wanted to remain flexible in order to tackle any situation that arose. So, in order to stay multitalented, they became jacks of all trades: soldiers, artists, scholars, and more. But that small move wasn't the only thing that set their clan apart.

The Whitestone clan prided themselves on the fact that they would remain neutral in all matters, they refused to join sides on any conflict brought up before them. This in turn, provided to be advantageous, for as mediators, they could offer their services to any that wished to have an impartial audience. In this manner they created a name for themselves and brought a certain type of attention to their family. Because of the great pains they took to remain true to their convictions, they finally earned their greatest recognition.

By that time, the Whitestone clan had produced several generations of their famous mediators, they had started a school to teach others of their methods. This last step confirmed their involvement with the Garden Project, for they were searching for instructors for their newly set up program, the SeeD's. The Whitestone clan matriarch accepted their invitation to instruct at the Gardens. The recently assembled schools were shifted, sending both instructors and students to the different Gardens. The very next generation born were sent to the Gardens, and in due time, they became the first of a new tradition within the family. From that point on, every Whitestone child at age five, was sent to a Garden. Within a few years, almost every Garden had a Whitestone within it, either as instructor, student, or SeeD agent.

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Samma held up the toy Chocobo up to the sun and squinted around it, a childish smile plastered across her small face. The wind blew sharply, rustling the leaves of the tree overhead, causing their shadows to pattern across her, blocking out her view of the warm summer sun. The smile fades into a frown, but before she can gather her toys and move, something clenches around her ankle.

She looks down at her foot and see the bright orange and white tailed wrapped tightly around her leg. The tail belonged to the Mombas sleeping within the shade of the tree. He opens one eye, sleep glazed, and stares at her. The smile returns and she reaches over with her small hand and pats the tail. The grip loosens and Manibas closes his eye, snuggling his face back within his furry arms. _Oh well, I can play in the shade_, she thinks to herself, picking up the discarded toys surrounding her. She had to be a good girl for one more day.


End file.
